Drug bust nets six arrests, vehicles, marijuana seized

LOWER LAKE -- The Lake County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Task Force made six arrests and seized 221 pounds of processed marijuana, a large enclosed trailer and a Ford F-250 pickup truck and $3,215 in cash last week.

On Nov. 7, narcotics detectives secured a search warrant for a home located in the 18000 block of Morgan Valley Road and served the warrant the same day, according to Lt. Steve Brooks, LCSO public information officer.

Approximately 82 pounds of pot were inside a large Conex shipping container placed in brown paper bags and plastic tubs, and it appeared to be where the marijuana was trimmed and processed, according to Brooks.

Detectives reportedly located a green house near the Conex box with three camping tents inside. One tent had a grocery bag filled with marijuana, according to Brooks.

He also stated detectives found what a large, military-type tent which contained about 133 pounds of pot.

Detectives searched a travel trailer on the property, which contained approximately 6 pounds of marijuana.

During a search of one of the vehicles, detectives found and seized $3,215.

Brooks stated property owner Lindsay Mealy, 24, initially said she was growing plants to help her mother keep her house in Florida, but upon further questioning changed her statement.

Mealy; Peter Neilson, 29, of Orem, Utah; John Spoon, 36, and Maureen Fiore, 30, of Reno, Nev.; Christopher Paper, 30, of Berkeley and Kyle Scott, 32, of Lower Lake were arrested for cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale. They were transported and booked into the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility.